Studies report varying incidences of chronic pain following breast surgery, usually around 30%. It is sometimes referred to as post-mastectomy pain syndrome, even if there has been no mastectomy (removal of breast) but only localised resection. Surgery can vary from local resection to radical reconstructive surgery. There are reports of pain persisting for upto 12 years. It is important to exclude recurrence of disease as a cause of pain. Pain may be of different causes and more than one cause may coexist in the same patient. Other known causes are post-radiation, restricted shoulder movements, hampered lymph fluid drainage etc.
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